Home button must go (on the front at least)

[goobot]

What's the point in removing it if you are just going to replace it with a digital one? You are using just as much space but lost the advantage of having a physical button and are also burning more battery. I do think they should push the home button down to the bottom of the phone and have the screen right above it tho.

 

[cynics]

What's the point in removing it if you are just going to replace it with a digital one? You are using just as much space but lost the advantage of having a physical button and are also burning more battery. I do think they should push the home button down to the bottom of the phone and have the screen right above it tho.

The advantage is it would be on the screen. So when you or the software felt inclined to do so it could disappear resulting in a larger screen for videos, games, web browsers, or whatever.

Plus you'd also have the benefit of it changing if there was ever a reason to do so. Say for example rotating into landscape mode to still remain on the bottom of the screen. IF that was ever a good idea, I'm just saying that as an example.

Other benefits would be removing a moving part i.e. point of failure. A bigger screen or smaller device which ever way you choose to look at it. My example for that would be an iPhone the size of a 4/4S with the screen of a 5/5C/5S or a phone the size of a 5/5C/5S with a 4.3-4.5" screen (I'm assuming the 16:9 aspect could still fit). Of course that comment goes back to "Yeah, but the actual screen is still 4 inch". My counter to that falls back on my first paragraph, with it can be larger for software that requires it but the size of the device remains unaffected.

 

[SpyderBite]

Luckily the OP is a member of the vocal minority.

I suggest you ask your mother what she would prefer. There is your target audience and most of Apple's revenue from the iPhone.

 

[MrXiro]

Home button is useful... even Samsung has gone back to using a home button on the S5. I don't use the On/Off button to turn the screen on, always use the home button. Ever since the 1st Gen iPod I have done that and now it even makes more sense with a fingerprint sensor on there. I would like to see them shrink it a little bit though and have less bezel on the top and bottom.

 

[DCIFRTHS]

...See, I want a bigger screen. 5.5" is obviously the sweet spot for a smartphone...

5.5 is not a "sweet spot. It may be what you prefer, but it's not a one size fits all world.

 

[bnmcj1]

5.5 is not a "sweet spot. It may be what you prefer, but it's not a one size fits all world.

It is a sweet spot for being pocketable even in skinny jeans and being great for one handed use with the right software functions on it. Also, 2 handed use is just the future, as we do not use our phones for just calling and texting anymore. For the most part people are just scrolling on their phone. I do that one handed all the time even with my 7.9" iPad Mini Retina. No problem.

 

[wxman2003]

It is a sweet spot for being pocketable even in skinny jeans and being great for one handed use with the right software functions on it. Also, 2 handed use is just the future, as we do not use our phones for just calling and texting anymore. For the most part people are just scrolling on their phone. I do that one handed all the time even with my 7.9" iPad Mini Retina. No problem.

It may be a "sweet spot" for you, but not for everyone. That's why Apple is building 2 different sizes.

 

[rui no onna]

It is a sweet spot for being pocketable even in skinny jeans and being great for one handed use with the right software functions on it.

My jeans pocket can barely fit 3.5" iPhones. The iPhone 5/5s drops out of my jeans pocket when I sit down so it's usually in my jacket pocket or bag. I've played with my coworker's Galaxy Note. It's likely to drop out of even my jacket pocket.

 

[sunking101]

My jeans pocket can barely fit 3.5" iPhones. The iPhone 5/5s drops out of my jeans pocket when I sit down so it's usually in my jacket pocket or bag. I've played with my coworker's Galaxy Note. It's likely to drop out of even my jacket pocket.

Dress accordingly, or purchase a manbag.

 

[TouchMint.com]

until they build the finger print scanner into the screen i dont think its going anywhere.

 

[rui no onna]

Dress accordingly, or purchase a manbag.

I'm a short female. Dressing to accommodate a 5.5" phone will require some very baggy clothing. The Galaxy Note or devices of similar size will fit my purse easily but it's still going to be too big for my jacket pocket.

 

[sunking101]

I'm a short female. Dressing to accommodate a 5.5" phone will require some very baggy clothing. The Galaxy Note or devices of similar size will fit my purse easily but it's still going to be too big for my jacket pocket.

I never carry my phone in anything except my jacket pocket. I buy jackets depending on whether they have a decent-sized, zipped, inside pocket. So even the current-sized iPhone requires a bit of thought to carry around.

 

[rui no onna]

I never carry my phone in anything except my jacket pocket. I buy jackets depending on whether they have a decent-sized, zipped, inside pocket. So even the current-sized iPhone requires a bit of thought to carry around.

If you're fine buying clothes to fit your phone, good for you. Personally, I'd rather buy a phone that fits my lifestyle rather than change my lifestyle to suit the phone.

Mind, I'm not saying having a 5.5" iPhone is bad. If it suits your needs, then great. Just saying that having options is good.

 

[sunking101]

If you're fine buying clothes to fit your phone, good for you. Personally, I'd rather buy a phone that fits my lifestyle rather than change my lifestyle to suit the phone.

Mind, I'm not saying having a 5.5" iPhone is bad. If it suits your needs, then great. Just saying that having options is good.

For years now I have bought jackets which fit all the crap I carry around - car keys, phone, wallet, ciggies, lighter etc. They've gotta have two decent sized, zipped, inside pockets and two decent sized, zipped or somehow sealable outer pockets. Most men don't carry a handbag, and I'm not one for shoving things in my trouser pockets. So a larger phone won't inconvenience me any more than a medium-sized one already does. YMMV.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

I'm a short female. Dressing to accommodate a 5.5" phone will require some very baggy clothing. The Galaxy Note or devices of similar size will fit my purse easily but it's still going to be too big for my jacket pocket.

I totally agree, and I'm pretty average for a woman. My iPhone 5 pokes me when I try to sit down with it in my pocket. Much more annoying in the summer when I'm not wearing a hoodie or a jacket.

I also consider how much weight a phablet would add to my purse. I already weight it down with my billfold wallet and keys.

 

[sunking101]

I totally agree, and I'm pretty average for a woman. My iPhone 5 pokes me when I try to sit down with it in my pocket. Much more annoying in the summer when I'm not wearing a hoodie or a jacket.

I also consider how much weight a phablet would add to my purse. I already weight it down with my billfold wallet and keys.

It all boils down to what you need a phone for. Is portability *all* that matters? In which case there are other options out there.
If web browsing and media are the most important factors, and extreme portability comes in lower down the list, then a bigger screen is the way forward. Some people use their phone as their primary computing device, whilst others mainly use it for calls and SMS whilst out & about. Different requirements in a device and to be fair, an expensive premium smartphone deserves to be used more than as a basic phone with email capabilities...

 

[rui no onna]

It all boils down to what you need a phone for. Is portability *all* that matters? In which case there are other options out there.

If rumors are to believed, the next iPhone will have a 4.7" version and if it's around the same dimensions as the Galaxy Nexus, then that's still acceptable since the Nexus fits it my jacket/sweater/hoodie's pockets. As I mentioned earlier:

Mind, I'm not saying having a 5.5" iPhone is bad. If it suits your needs, then great. Just saying that having options is good.

If web browsing and media are the most important factors, and extreme portability comes in lower down the list, then a bigger screen is the way forward. Some people use their phone as their primary computing device, whilst others mainly use it for calls and SMS whilst out & about. Different requirements in a device and to be fair, an expensive premium smartphone deserves to be used more than as a basic phone with email capabilities...

I have an iPad with cellular for web browsing and media. Heck, I can carry both an iPad Air and a Kindle in my purse at the same time. The iPhone is for rare situations where I don't have access to the iPad in which case, portability becomes one of the deciding factors.

 

[sunking101]

I have an iPad with cellular for web browsing and media. Heck, I can carry both an iPad Air and a Kindle in my purse at the same time. The iPhone is for rare situations where I don't have access to the iPad in which case, portability becomes one of the deciding factors.

Many people, myself included, want to scrub the tablet from their arsenal and a 5.5" phone would allow this. I use a tablet at home but my phone gets a lot of use, and is my primary web browsing device. To me it isn't an emergency device, or something for calls and emails only; it is the main shebang. I can absolutely see why some people want to keep to smaller phones but I'm not one of them.

 

[Squid7085]

I will always prefer a tactile button on a phone, period. Now could it get smaller, maybe more oblong or something to increase the bezel size? Sure (Although less likely now with TouchID) I have used Android phones with no buttons, and even the "touch sensitive" buttons are annoying. Samsung still puts a tactile button on their phones. The Home button is not going anywhere, it is the single most iconic thing to use and explain to anybody using the phone. Thats why my grandparents use Apple devices, its one physical button that says, no matter what, push me and I take you back to a familiar screen that you can understand.

 

[rui no onna]

Thats why my grandparents use Apple devices, its one physical button that says, no matter what, push me and I take you back to a familiar screen that you can understand.

Lol, same reason my mom and dad got iDevices (and my grandma inherited my mom's iPad 2). That's the first thing that gets taught. That big button is their "get out of jail free" card. On display navigation that occasionally hides itself or tiny capacitive buttons you can barely see just aren't quite the same.

 

[sunking101]

I don't see why a premium smartphone, one that is supposed to push technological boundaries, is being designed around grannies. I'm not a tech dinosaur, and I don't need my kit dumbing down. If these people can barely operate the absolute basics, then they aren't using the phone to anywhere near its capabilities and should buy something less techy.

 

[dishfan82]

I don't see why a premium smartphone, one that is supposed to push technological boundaries, is being designed around grannies. I'm not a tech dinosaur, and I don't need my kit dumbing down. If these people can barely operate the absolute basics, then they aren't using the phone to anywhere near its capabilities and should buy something less techy.

It's because Apple Designed it for anyone who has no smartphone knowledge to pick up the phone and start using it. The iPhone is the easiest phone to use.

 

[sunking101]

It's because Apple Designed it for anyone who has no smartphone knowledge to pick up the phone and start using it. The iPhone is the easiest phone to use.

I don't believe that it fulfils those objectives since iOS7 came along....and a large, physical button which returns you to the home screen is hardly the massive UI boon that everyone is making out. So granny presses an app icon (however does she manage as it isn't a big physical button?), gets into an app to find there are no big physical buttons to press, she can't work out what the heck to press so she hits the home button and puts her phone down, flummoxed?

 

[rui no onna]

I don't see why a premium smartphone, one that is supposed to push technological boundaries, is being designed around grannies. I'm not a tech dinosaur, and I don't need my kit dumbing down. If these people can barely operate the absolute basics, then they aren't using the phone to anywhere near its capabilities and should buy something less techy.

Interestingly enough, less techy does not automatically translate to easy to use. My parents used an LG flip phone and a Nokia candybar both running Symbian and both were replaced with iPhones after just 3 weeks of use. During those 3 weeks, all I heard were complaints after complaints. Prior to the LG and Nokia, I gave them Android w/ICS (Galaxy Nexus and Xperia Active) and they didn't like it either. Longest phone they used was the Motorola RAZR and in all the years my dad has used it, he never figured out how to check voicemail or read text messages on the darned thing.

I'm actually pretty amazed both of my parents are using some of the more "advanced" features on the iPhone. Aside from knowing how to check visual voicemail and send/receive text messages, my dad often uses his iPhone as camera. Meanwhile, my mom regularly uses her iPhone for YouTube, Pandora, Facebook, mobile banking, etc, although she still hasn't gotten the hang of using the flashlight function. I don't know what it is about iOS that makes it easy for them to use as I find both iOS and Android equally easy to operate. I'm not sure if the home button even plays a role. All I know is my parents are my barometer for non-techies and they took to the iPhone and iPad like fish to water (relatively speaking).

 

[I7guy]

If my 90 year old aunt can use an iPhone anyone can.